The outdoor lighting industry manufactures lights and purchase wired and wireless controllers from third party vendors to control lighting, measure energy and provide data feedback related to the performance of the controllers and lights. The various controller and lighting manufacturers have not created standard products that have similar dimensional or electrical characteristics. Further, luminaire manufacturers are required to re-certify the safety tests (Underwriters Labs or ETL Labs) in order to place the controllers within the luminaires. There are controllers that physically attach to the luminaire through an external facing socket but these too must be tested and approved.
One non-limiting aspect of the present invention contemplates addressing the foregoing shortcomings a design that allows controllers to be physically independent from the luminaire while at the same time controlling it, which may also eliminate requirements for testing of the luminaire.